Bulgarian Doctors Stage Protest, Threaten to Resign

Photo of Bulgarian doctors protesting on International protest day. Photo by BGNES.

Bulgarian doctors are staging a protest, Friday, demanding a quick update of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) budget.

The medics threatened to hand in their resignations if there is a lack of commitment by the government in favor of the update by next Tuesday. Bulgaria's opposition GERB party MPs have announced that they will once again boycott the parliamentary session if the government does not present a draft NHIFbudget update on Friday, Nova TV reports.

During the week, the Management Board of the NHIF has approved an update of its budget by BGN 328M. The document was submitted to the Health Ministry, however the Health Minister has requested more data and analysis from the Health Insurance Fund. Prime MinisterPlamen Oresharski has then claimed that the presented data showed there was no need for the NHIF budget to be updated, Dnevnik reminds.

The medical protest will began at 12 o'clock, Friday and will continue for half an hour.